Albanian Police Attack on MEK Base; National Council of Resistance of Iran: One Person Killed

Conflicting reports have emerged in Albania regarding the police attack on the "Ashraf 3 and Ashraf 4" bases belonging to the Iranian Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK). "Albania Daily News" reported that the Albanian police conducted this inspection on Tuesday, June 20, due to suspicions about the presence of cyber attack agents at these bases and the potential infiltration of Iranian government security forces. In contrast, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, affiliated with the MEK, stated in a declaration that the Albanian police's "sudden attack" resulted in the death of one of its members. According to "Albania Daily News", Albanian police officers went to the Ashraf 3 and Ashraf 4 camps in Manez based on a decision from the "Special Prosecutor for the Fight Against Corruption and Organized Crime". Members of the MEK have been settled in Albania after their transfer from Iraq. The report indicates that the Albanian police suspect that there may be individuals in these camps involved in cyber attacks. "Albania Daily News" described the situation at the MEK bases as "calm" and stated that inspections within them are ongoing. However, reports from other media have indicated clashes between MEK members and Albanian police. The police are reportedly interrogating individuals suspected of being infiltrators from the Iranian government for attacks or conducting cyber attacks in Albania. Additionally, it was noted that these actions were taken after MEK members in Manez called for a demonstration on July 1 at their base. "Albania Daily News" stated that controls are being implemented before organizing the July 1 demonstration to prevent any potential incidents. Various reports from the MEK camp leaders suggest the possibility of infiltrators. However, the National Council of Resistance of Iran described the reported police inspection as a "sudden attack" and a "criminal and repressive act". The council stated without referencing the reasons for the police attack that "at the request of the religious fascism ruling in Iran, about 1,000 Albanian police attacked Ashraf in a criminal and repressive act on Tuesday morning. Many doors, cabinets, and items were broken, and they attacked the residents with tear gas and pepper spray. Many computers were broken or taken away." According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran's statement, following this attack, Ali Moshtashari, a member of the MEK, was killed, and over 100 individuals were injured due to pepper spray. The report states that the condition of some of the injured is "serious, and several have been transferred to Mother Teresa Hospital in Tirana." The National Council of Resistance of Iran likened the behavior of the Albanian police to the "criminal attacks by Maliki's forces on Ashraf in Iraq between 2009 and 2015". This reference pertains to attacks by Iraqi forces on the MEK's base in Iraq, where around 100 MEK members were killed and hundreds injured. The council called on the "U.S. government and the United Nations, which have repeatedly guaranteed the security and health of Ashraf residents", to condemn this "criminal and brutal behavior and to provide necessary guarantees to prevent these illegal actions that violate many international treaties, including the Refugee Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights." Albanian officials had previously supported protesters in Iran during last year's protests. Meanwhile, the cyber attack on Albania led to the severing of relations between Tirana and Tehran. The Albanian Ministry of Interior confirmed the police attack on the MEK base hours later, stating that this action was taken following a decision by the Special Court for the Fight Against Corruption and Organized Crime. The Ministry accused the MEK of violating the 2014 agreement and added that they had only settled in Albania for humanitarian purposes but did not provide further explanation on this matter. The ministry also noted that MEK members obstructed police inspections and operations while stating that no one was killed. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a gathering was held by supporters of the MEK and the National Council of Resistance of Iran in front of the Albanian embassy in Paris, condemning the "attack" by Albanian police. The U.S. Secretary of State condemned Iran's cyber attack on Albania. Albania sentenced a former MEK member to ten years in prison. Six months after severing relations, Turkey opened an office for the "protection of the interests of the Islamic Republic" in Albania. The Dutch intelligence agency reported that Iran's cyber attack on Albania was an example of threats against NATO members. The Prime Minister of Albania visited Israel; Lapid stated: We will assist efforts against the Islamic Republic. Following the severing of relations between Tirana and Tehran, Israel is providing cyber assistance to Albania. A new Iranian hacker group, "Cute Kittens", has called for cooperation and deception meetings for infiltration. Albania reported a "second cyber attack" by Iran on its border systems. The U.S. State Department rejected support for the MEK, stating that this group does not represent the people of Iran. Mike Pence at Ashraf 3: Renewing the nuclear agreement is in no way beneficial for the people of Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry protested the participation of the Prime Minister of Slovenia in the MEK conference. Maryam Rajavi called on President Biden to hold the Islamic Republic accountable for human rights violations.